Roleplay: Sunset

Laughter, the sweet sound of innocence and play in the distance woke her from a well deserved afternoon nap. The morning had been nothing but frustrating but it was simply a memory now. Opening her eyes to a half squint she saw that is was late now, the sun low in the sky as a cool breeze kissed her face. The sunset was perfect, as if she had never left her dreams, the balcony she was on an extension to her lab, a quiet place away from most of the chaos that generally ensued.
 
The laughter drew closer as soon she felt tugs on her right sleeve. This drew her wandering mind to the young Asura looking straight up at her, wide eyed with a toothy smile."Mama Ma-ara come play." the child looked up at her trying to pull her from the chair. This made Maranari sit up finally and place a hand on his cheek lifting up his head to see his neck a moment and then smiled with a nod. This made the young Asura grin and while still holding onto her sleeve try to pull her away.

Maranari got up, bring pulled along she saw the others a girl and another boy waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. She motioned them to come as she was pulled along she saw where he was leading her too - one of the smaller sections of the lab, a testing room. It was here she saw the contraption the children had been putting together - a life-sized toy, perhaps a companion for them. Unfortunotely this made her frown."Bray, where did you get this?" she asked him quietly stopping her her tracks.

Bray let go of Maranari's sleeve and looked back at her with a frown "You don't like it Mama Ma-a-ara?" he paused seeing the look on her face then looked back to the toy - it was a mechanical skeleton of an Asura bare and eerie. "We found out you were trying to make toys - we wanted to help..." he walked up to it - the creation nearly his size.

Maranari shook her head "It's wonderful but you know you aren't supposed to look in my lab dears." she sighed and took Bray by the hand. "Lets take a look at you, you sound like you have a frog in your throat." she teased as Bray put a hand to his throat.

"But I wanna pla-ay.." he frowned trying to protest. "I didn't ea-at any frogs I promise!" this came out almost as a whine.

"I insist, once I take a look you can do play with your brother and sister." she smiled assuring them as she led Bray to a small medical room with a cot that she lifted him up on. "Now, say Ah, and open your mouth." she kept one hand on his chin and as he opened his mouth compliantly she took a flat metallic stick that resembled a dispenser used for pressing down on the tongue and turned it on tapping twice on the top of his mouth. This caused Bray to freeze on the spot the life in his eyes dimmed down as he no longer moved or protested the checkup.

She walked over to a console to the left hand side of the cot, pressing a combination of buttons till a screen lit up with a diamond hovering in the middle of the screen "Are you ready?" a voice resonated in the room.

"I believe so, it has been almost three years since the project began. I have witnessed the AI and it out-preforms most of our expectations. They have learned to create, befriend, find a just cause in their own development. It's remarkable,  I give kudos to the prime developer. The AI has grown remarkably smart and I feel it is time to move onto another project." Maranari looked over to Bray, and though she felt a slight guilt to leaving the artificial child she still felt compassion for it.

"Do explain your reasons for this ST1" the diamond's color changed to a deep green as the voice replied.

"I've done everything you asked, including interacting with all forms of species, befriending them and testing their reactions even when my module was malfunctioning. Most reacted positively and the group expanded. I've tested love and heartbreak to which the AI was brilliant and responded accordingly. Combat tactics, death and even abandonment have all been tests. There is nothing more I can do here. Your project is complete, even the internally created AI is starting to recognize how to reproduce it's self. Tell me what more there is to do?" she frowned a bit as she paced but remained facing the screen.

"You are correct then, the project will undergo review and shall be shut down until further notice. You have done well ST1. You may resume to your other duties once you have fully recovered." the screen went dark and the voice was gone leaving a rather sad silence.

Maranari let out a deep sigh as she walked over to Bray. "I'll miss you the most." she kissed him on the forehead, it was cool and lifeless. She walked over to the console again once more pressing a few buttons and leaving the room. As she walked back over to the balcony the lab started to dim - the two other Asuran children were sitting on the floor together frozen, playing together forever, or at least until the reboot... She sat back down in her chair as she looked out to the perfect sunset. She smiled once feeling the breeze on her face as she took off the very device that had finally permitted her speech. Turning it over there was a few buttons on the back that she pressed in combination - the world fading to dark.

This project may be over... But it was time for a new one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been one year since posting the Hiatus on Speechless, and over that time I've realized that it is time for a new project, regardless of how much I have loved this one. Thank you for the support <3

Take care everyone, and hope to see you in the next project.

~ StronTeir

Creative/Roleplay: Researching the Depths

I debated on putting this up here or not and decided to go forth with it as it will be a constantly updated thing so long as there is renewed interest in it.

First off the link: http://www.guildwars2roleplayers.com/forum/m/2737230/viewthread/7746181-rppve-researching-depths-mixing-roleplay-dungeon-crawling

Second off what is this about?

This incredibly long thread is dedicated to the people who enjoy mixing their PvE experience with their RP experience. Using the Lore of the Durmand Priory as stable roots and reason to go exploring the world including dungeons and jumping puzzles. The whole goal is to go around adventuring. It's a random shout out to players into RP/PvE or both to get together and have some fun.

Not everyone will want to RP and there is no issue there, others will want to RP out the entire thing and then some! Go at it! I want people to get to know their community not just relying on pugs from cross servers (though, there is nothing wrong with pugs).

This is a place people can post wanted adds as well; or simply find people on a large list of contacts to get involved. There are plenty of people out there who are into mixing their experiences, it's time to get them and go out and have fun!

I'll let you guys hit up the link now as there is a lot there to take a boo over it.

The next post needs a write-up and some formatting done to a few images - should have it set up middle of the week or sooner!

In the mean time I leave you a link of this fabulous GW2 cosplay I came across. Enjoy!

http://teamparaluna.tumblr.com/

A Moment for Pause

Hi all, sorry for the month-long pause in posts. I have a bit on my plate and have become a bit distracted with a few things including gaining full time employment from contract work.

With that said, I do have some RP in the works but it's been through Skype. So here is a short segment of the latest in Mara's world taken from Skype this afternoon.

~~~~

Maranari rubbed the back of her head "I don't know if it means anything but... I'm sorry. For how they acted and... myself."

"Don't be sorry. You cant control them or that. It just happens." Abranka spoke.

Maranari pulled her knees up to her chest holding onto them "But I can't help but feel at fault..."

Abranka ran his hands through his frizzled hair several times leaning back forward and blinks.

Maranari hid her face in her little balled up position her ears weren't visible at the time with her hair. She just let out a sigh and tried not to let on how bad she felt.

"I'm tired. I'm going to rest for now." Abranka leaned himself back and shifts on the bed pulling himself up to rest fully.

Looking up Maranari saw him lay down, she nodded moving so he could lay down properly.

Abranka continues to keep himself still and places his hands folding over on his stomach turning his head to one side.

Maranari moved laying beside him but not up against him. Just far enough to give him space. She watched him a bit more wiping tears from her eyes.

~~~

I will be trying to post a few adventure posts in the next while as catching up on things I've missed since the last little bit of story. I considered doing posts retroactively  2 per week since June 13th, but I think I'll just keep making things forward to avoid any further confusion.

Sorry for the delay all - will get back into gear soon!

Cheers!

~Mara~

Creative/Roleplay: This isn't my Identity

I was linked this song through a friend, and though it's a good song standing on it's own, I find it relates to Maranari in a way through her background. One that I haven't brought forward too often with all the other things that are happening in game. Hints of it have been present in roleplay including the large Skype roleplay posted back in April and May.

It's hard to explain without spoiling things in upcoming roleplay but Mara did not have a rather pleasant childhood - this song relates to that time of her life. Reflections on how things were and how she is now.

"I can't help but close my eyes for life
And dream a different ending
That when I wake, I won't be so exhausted
And I will stop with my pretending
That I'm fine, I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
And my lie will drown out all of yours"

Imagine a child Asura, trying to sleep at night, covered in burns and stitches, trying to fall asleep and get away from the world as she knows it. Being told by family she'll be alright and that everything that happens to her is for the good, meant for progress, for her benefit. She's tired, alone just wants to stay asleep, forget and wish that everything will be better.

"I will not bend until I break, how much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true, then I will think no more of you
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity"

This haunts her as she grows up, pushing all that has happened to a memory - wanting to be something other than what she was, a mere tool for experimental use.

"You will bleed for what your hands have done
You can't outrun your ending
And I'll get well long before you let yourself
I may forgive you, but you never will

I will not bend until I break, how much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true, then I will think no more of you
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity 

And I told you, I told you, you had no right
How damaged you must be
Watch you panic, it's tragic, you'll carry this for life
You have my sympathy"

Her voice taken from her, she pushes forward trying to live on without them with support of her friends and those around her, memories of her parents haunting her. This causes her to second guess who she is, concerned that she will sub-cum to being a tool all over again yet to new oenrs the process repeating all over again.

She withdraws without thinking of the negative impact of those around her.

"I will not bend until I break, how much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true, then I will think no more of you
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity 

You're only a memory
This isn't my identity 

You're only a memory
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity"

As some of the damage inflicted on her in the past is removed and she becomes more confident in her skills through trial and error a revelation of who she is, as her own being - not just a tool starts to take over. Feeling a renewal.

~~~~

I could elaborate more, but i n some ways it's hard to. I want to thank my friend Fable who sent me the song initally and showing me who Icon for Hire is. I've fallen in love with the band as I listen to the wonderful songs they've created full of emotions and overall amazing music. 

Till next time - hope you all enjoyed!

Cheers! 

Creative: Fan made GW2 Card Game

Initially I wanted to hold back a bit on this, as the feedback I had received though quite good and supportive has been quite little as I soon realize not many people are into the whole "Trading Card Game" genre.

Alright fine, I don't mind at the end of the day, it's just a matter of at this point in time needing people to test different battles with and talk technicalities.

Where is this going you may ask?

Well then, this leads up to what started out as fun little stat card graphics into a battle card game based on Guild Wars 2.

Decks populated by players in the game as every card is based on a player.

Already I've started out a template (ignoring the fact these are all Asura Shadows...) which I think looks preeeeeety awesome.

Now, the hard part... Rules and technicalities... A lot of refinement and testing. Something that though I would love to do alone and be able to perfect, will need more than just myself. As of right now things are very much based on popular trading card games mixed in with a bit of other fun variety that ties it back down to Guild Wars 2.

The trick I've found so far with games like Magic the Gathering, Yugioh and Pokemon trading card games (TCG). Is that it is either:

• a) too simple
• b) too complicated

I say this having played may types over the years, mostly in the more popular streamline. That and each time the majority of the games you are defending the player's total hit points.

Here I wanted to focus on the players working in a team. Yet still have the flexibility of having a deck and a cost of bringing players to the field.

~~~~

Posts will be rather slow in the next while as I work on this, and various other things going on in both real life and in the game. I'll be posting card images for updates and rules over time. I have a few people who are going to help with play testing and mechanics - so here we go!

Sorry for the late post all!

<3

Creative/Roleplay: ZED INP (Intelligence Neural Protocol)

Another GUI creation, this time it's for QI Lab's Artificial Intelligence nicknamed ZED.

Originally created by Abranka to protect the lab and assist in relaying information across the lab, ZED is limited to relaying over the TVAC units as well as any console within the QI labs.

Recently being re-worked on after a poorly timed shut down, ZED has been upgraded by Gaalla with the ability to visually project himself as a Hologram.She insalled:

• Haloemitters around the lab, that create a small field on the ground allowing ZED to walk around.
• Particle adjusters and amplifiers into the haloemitters so that ZED can touch, pick up and operate physical objects.

Essentially making the A.I. near living as possible without a real physical form.

A few other intresting features of ZED are:

• Self learning intelligence system. The potential and ability to constantly learn and recognize his own mistakes.
• Able to watch others within anywhere in the lab with the exception of sleeping rooms visual watching the others and learning from interactions and how they converse.
• Has the ability to manipulate code, proxy himself, and save information simply by listening into the database.
• He can rewrite programs for his own use say in example Inquest design and spam useless code against firewalls that prevent intrusion.

Overall ZED has been incredibly helpful in treating injured patients and relaying information clearly to anyone who needs a simplified and short form version of while in the lab or over a TVAC.

At the end of the day though, ZED is a vast work in progress he is treated very much like another member of the QI labs. The longer he continues to opperate in the QI lab setting the more over time he will develop and learn.

OOC/Roleplay: Tyrian Apple Company [TACo]

This week I thought I would let Incedia Flora, leader of the Tyrian Apple Company [TACo] give a bit of a skimover of what the guild actually is and it's history from her point of view while I work on other things such as ZED and Stat Cards I hope to have up to show you all.

Enjoy!

http://i42.tinypic.com/5ba0wy.jpg

GW2RP Page link: http://www.guildwars2roleplayers.com/forum/page/1/m/2737230/viewthread/5500625-tyrian-apple-company-taco-oow-guild-limited-recruiting

Enjin Link: http://tyrianapplecompany.enjin.com/

“Come by and take an apple from one of our many sellers, but keep your voices to a whisper!”

(Warning!!!: Spoilers about the Guild Wars 2 Personal Storybelow.)

I wasn’t such an avid Guild Wars 2 roleplayer at first. I couldn’t be due to school so I came on rather late to the game in terms of RP. I did join a few guilds for RP but I just sort of became rather inactive. Around November though I had eventually gone enough through the story to be introduced to the Order of Whispers. (Now granted I hadn’t really gotten through GW1: Nightfall.) It was such an interesting Order that I searched around all I could to see if there was a guild around so I could RP someone apart of the Order of Whispers. Throughout my searching in the GW2RP forums though I soon came to realize - if I wanted an Order of Whispers guild, I’d have to make one myself.

Now keeping by the Order of Whispers fashion, I didn’t really want it to be an obvious Order of Whispers guild at first. I wanted people to join only if they had either gone through the personal story, or if they spoiled themselves, so they already knew what they were getting into. I loved the idea of Tybalt Leftpaw posing as an apple seller and just the general apple jokes in general, so I eventually rolled with that idea. So came the Tyrian Apple Company - a branch of the Order of Whispers. This would allow us to not claim to be the Order of Whispers overall - but still just RP as the agents.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb6m9fCwGI1rfrbwto1_1280.jpg

Advertising the guild at first was very interesting. I still kept with the general theme of “You will only know this is a Whispers guild if you know the personal story”. I would shout in map chat about how people should RP an “apple seller”. It was very entertaining - others would whisper me back with somewhat coded messages, hinting that they knew what I was going for and hinting that they were “apple sellers” as well. Out within the world itself, I began going into main RP hubs and RPing as just that - a simple apple seller. (Who knew that this would actually fit with the appearance of my character!)

My first real Whispers-oriented RP was a little intimidating - it was an RPer who I knew had actually played Nightfall. I remember feverishly searching through the Wikis trying to find something proper to say. Eventually though this character became one of my good long, Whispers contact. And during the whole time with that RP, the theme was still there - of hiding in plain sight, and where only those who knew about the Whispers personal story really knew what could have been going on.

Hiding in plain sight. I still love that aspect of the Order of Whispers and that’s what the Tyrian Apple Company is all about.

As being Whispers agents too, we work with the community. Rather than the idea of focusing on purely ourselves and our own intertwined stories, I was heavy to push the idea of working with other guilds. Working ‘behind the scenes’ of things and thus, rather than instigating something ourself, we help promote what others might have started and get involved in them. I loved the idea of just mixing it up with other guilds and trying to infiltrate them (with permission of course) and getting the players involved with stories throughout the world. My character herself would just keep her eyes and ears open around taverns. Our guild’s real involvement in this hadn’t been too apparent until the Blacklung Plague incident throughout the TC server. This wasn’t a plot by us, but we got ourselves heavily involved and were one of the main ‘heroes’ fighting in it. We helped support it and helped keep it up and alive (along with the many other participants of course), and as a result, it became a blast for everyone! That’s what matters to me about RP and about my guild - not that we’re creating our own thing or not, but just that people feel like they’re having FUN.

The other two things I stressed about, along with having fun, is the idea of not worrying about being inactive or repping another guild. I never wanted to stress about that - in fact, at first, I encouraged it! Being in multiple guilds allows beter infiltration. That and I was all about the fun, not making RP a chore. I guess that’s another thing I love about the Order of Whispers as well - practically anyone and everyone can join it for some reason. They are everywhere. You could have Inquest members who are secretly Whispers, or a Priory member who is a Whispers agent. It offers endless possibilities. Out of the Orders too, it also has lore to base off of, which has great future RP potential if ANet decides to touch on those areas again.

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/d4ff8b9c6ff3248aa3c6af2c70ccf755/tumblr_mftyoykENE1rfrbwto1_500.jpg

Eventually as more people came about, we became more known as a Whispers guild, even ICly by those who were more familiar with the Pact. Because I was rather lenient, we became a fun guild. We became interesting. We had the oddest characters that made you wonder - why were they even in the Order? Eventually we had the jokes - we called ourselves the Order of Rejects.

 http://i39.tinypic.com/2yw9855.jpg

Then it hit me - why not play off of that idea, but even ICly?

We were the misfits of the Order, a lot of us. I noticed this as I started counting off members. We have, as I put it - the Derpbringer, the moping Sylvaris, the elementalist who tells a lot to his Vigil boyfriend, the ex-pirates, the crazy Asuras, the Charr trying to prove themselves to their superiors, among others. (And I won’t even begin to talk about our hilarious fail missions involving tonics!) We were the people who weren’t held in high regard maybe. Maybe, we were people the Order wanted us to prove our worth, or people that the Order just wanted to keep busy while dealing with other issues. So to myself I toy with the idea - we are the rejects - but that doesn’t make us bad. That makes us unique, and rather than being an overpowered guild - it gives us something to strive towards. We have to prove ourselves to the Order.

Just like Tybalt Leftpaw. Tybalt didn’t entirely believe in himself. He saw himself as almost a reject it felt like due to his missing paw. But eventually, throughout the personal story, he found strength in himself. He became a field agent. And he eventually proved his worth. He proved to the Order he just not only could be a field agent, but he was definitely worth it. He had talents with other things - like the security system he made. So do many of our members. But in the end we can prove to others, and ourselves, that we aren’t the rejects of the Order.

This is just an idea that hit me before that I think I need to toy with ICly, so it becomes clear to other guild members. Or maybe I’ll just scratch that idea from being IC all together. I’ll see.

I don’t know what else to say about the Tyrian Apple Company for now. I just remember struggling with finding members at first - and how the first meeting was just a few people I had advertised to on Tumblr - some of my friends who I still hold dear for being the first ones to back me up on this. Then, out of nowhere, it seemed everyone heard about our company. We’re already at about our 50 member cap, and we still have people who are interested - actually actively seeking US out instead of the opposite. We have people who know our names. That is still so bizzare to me. I don’t know if we’ll be accepting any more members anytime soon, but I know there is a Pact group just starting up. Our prescence may or may not have helped in pushing towards that. Who knows? Either way I hope this promotes more Order of Whispers RP to people - and, hey, I hope it encourages others to make their own Order of Whispers guilds! Please do guys! I want to interact with more and I don’t want to be the only one.

And I guess I just hope that overall that ANet will include more future content involving the Order of Whispers or the Pact in general (though the Molten Alliance update already proved that)!

See you in places that cannot be seen, Tyria. Don’t forget to have an apple today!

- Ciijay / Incedia Flora

Guild Leader